MICHAEL D.

DOVILLA
18 TH DISTRICT ______

VERNE R IFFE CENTER

77 S OUTH HIGH S TREET, 12 TH F LOOR COLUMBUS, OH 43215-6111
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ECONOMIC & SMALL B USINESS DEVELOPMENT STATE GOVERNMENT & E LECTIONS REDISTRICTING SUBCOMMITTEE W AYS & MEANS, V ICE -C HAIRMAN

T: (614) 466-4895
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F: (614) 719-6957

Ohio General Assembly

House of Representatives Columbus

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DISTRICT18@OHR .STATE.OH.US

Statement of Representative Mike Dovilla Regarding Public Pension Reform Legislation (H.B. 323) Old County Courthouse Rotunda, Cleveland, Ohio Monday, September 26, 2011 Good afternoon. I am State Representative Mike Dovilla, representing the citizens of Berea, North Royalton, Olmsted Falls, Olmsted Township, and Strongsville in the Ohio legislature. I am joined today by my colleagues, Representative Marlene Anielski of Walton Hills and Representative Nan Baker of Westlake, as well as Cuyahoga County Republican Party Chairman Rob Frost. In July 2008, FBI agents raided the county offices and homes of Jimmy Dimora and Frank Russo, bringing into the public spotlight the most widespread corruption probe in Ohio history. Just last Thursday, two more individuals, including another public official, were indicted on bribery, racketeering, conspiracy and tax fraud charges. To date, more than 40 Cuyahoga County officials, employees, and contractors have pleaded guilty to crimes in connection with this scandal. Our countys citizens are rightfully disgusted with this flagrant abuse of public trust. They correctly expect those who have been elected to positions of honor and trust to carry themselves in a manner befitting those high offices, not take advantage of their positions to line their own pockets or unfairly get ahead. Public offices belong not to their current occupants but to the people those individuals were elected to serve as temporary stewards of the public good. When we began conducting research into state law regarding whether public officials convicted of felonies were permitted to keep their taxpayer-funded pensions, we learned that the Ohio Revised Code prohibits such payments for those convicted of such crimes as bribery, theft in office of property or services, and conspiracy. But for some reason, the crimes of extortion and perjury oddly were not included. That is why today we are announcing the introduction of House Bill 323, legislation to add extortion and perjury to the list of felonies for which public officials convicted of such crimes would forfeit their public retirement system benefits. Some may ask why it is necessary to make this change to the law, wondering whether public officials convicted of extortion and perjury are continuing to benefit from their public pensions. To my mind, the question should be put another way. Even if there are not rampant

examples of such cases, why is it that these loopholes exist for these particular crimes under Ohio law? It turns out, however, that some of the earliest criminal charges filed in the countys corruption probe were against three city of Cleveland building inspectors for extortion. At a time when many Ohioans remain out of work, struggling to make ends meet, or fighting to save for retirement, the hard-working taxpayers of this county and our state should not be saddled with paying for the retirement benefits of such criminals. I am hopeful that our bill, which has been referred to the House Criminal Justice Committee, will move expeditiously through the legislative process and be enacted this session. While we cannot undo the damage to public trust done by those in Cuyahoga County who have wantonly ignored their oaths of office or their responsibilities to those who elected them, we can do the right thing going forward by assuring our fellow citizens that those who do abuse their offices will not continue to benefit from taxpayers in retirement. I would now like to invite my joint sponsor, Representative Anielski, to offer remarks on our legislation, followed by Representative Baker and Chairman Frost. Thank you. ###